Nowadays, you can very easily download apps on your phone that calculate exactly when your fertile period is. But is this really so reliable?
Every month you get '1 chance' to fertilize your egg. Read on and find out how you can calculate your ovulation and how you can support your fertile period.
When are you fertile?
You are fertile two weeks before your period. This fertility lasts for 24 hours in a woman. Because the sperm and egg have a different lifespan, it is possible that if you had sexual intercourse a day before ovulation, you can still get pregnant.
How do you know now when is the best time to have sexual intercourse to increase the chance of fertilization?
Sperm
Sperm cells can survive for several days in a woman's body, even up to five days! The lifespan can vary, but this lifespan depends on the quality of the sperm and the health status and hormonal balance of the woman.
To let the sperm survive as long as possible for fertilization, it is important that both the man and the woman have a healthy diet, lifestyle, and intake of vitamins and minerals when they want to start having children.
Egg
A woman's egg has a much shorter lifespan than sperm cells. After ovulation, the egg remains viable for about 12 to 24 hours. If fertilization does not occur within this time period, the egg will die and be removed from the body.
How do you calculate your ovulation?
You calculate your ovulation by making an overview of your menstrual cycle. In women with a regular menstrual cycle of about 28 days, ovulation usually takes place around the middle of the cycle, about 14 days before the expected start of the next period. So, if you have a cycle of 28 days, your fertile period would probably start around day 12 after the start of your period.
Because not every woman has an exact cycle of 28 days, it is often difficult to estimate when your fertile period is. However, we do know that ovulation takes place 14 days before the first day of your period. Therefore, the advice is to make an overview of the menstrual cycle of the past year. This will give you insight into your menstrual cycle and you can calculate an average.
Calculate your ovulation
Do you want to calculate your next fertile period? Then take the average duration of your menstrual cycle from the past 6 to 12 cycles.
If you have a cycle of 25 days, then ovulation is highly likely on day 11 after your first day of your period and the fertile period starts on day 9 after the first day of your period.
If you have a cycle of 31 days, then ovulation is highly likely on day 17 after your first day of your period and the fertile period starts on day 15 after the first day of your period.
Calculate your fertile period this way.
Do you want more certainty than just your calculations? Then it is advisable to also keep an eye on your temperature and perform ovulation tests around the fertile period.
Measure temperature
Measure your body temperature every morning after waking up. This temperature rises about 0.5-1 Degree Celsius after ovulation.
Ovulation test
Use ovulation tests that detect the rise of the luteinizing hormone (LH). A peak in LH usually occurs 24-36 hours before ovulation.
How can you promote your fertility?
You can promote your fertility by optimizing the health and hormonal balance of the man and woman.
To increase the chance of fertilization and promote the health of the offspring, it is therefore of crucial importance that the man and woman are in good health when they start their desire for children. Nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, stress and environmental factors have an influence on fertility.
Disrupting factors for the quality of sperm and eggs include:
- Age:
As a woman gets older, the chance of chromosomal abnormalities in eggs increases. This can lead to a lower quality of the egg and an increased risk of genetic abnormalities in the resulting embryos.
- Hormonal balance
Irregular ovulation or hormonal imbalances, such as with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can affect the quality of the egg.
- Nutrition:
Insufficient nutrients, such as folic acid, vitamin D, Zinc, Iron, Selenium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Omega 3, Co-enzyme Q10, can affect the health of the egg and sperm cells and have a direct influence on fertility.
- Body weight:
Overweight or underweight can disrupt hormone production and affect ovulation, which can reduce the quality of eggs.
- Environmental factors:
Exposure to harmful substances in the environment, such as certain chemicals and radiation, can affect the quality of eggs.
- Stress:
Chronic stress can affect the hormonal balance and reduce the quality of eggs.
If you and your partner have a desire for children and you want to promote fertility and offer a healthy start to your baby, then pay attention to your lifestyle, exercise enough, get enough rest, avoid stress, avoid toxic substances, eat healthy and varied and take the right vitamins and minerals.
The Preconception bundle from MomPwdr are the best vitamins and minerals to promote fertility and offer a healthy start for the baby. These supplements are formulated with vitamins and minerals in the most bio-active form. Also the composition and dosage is carefully formulated for the preconception phase.
Do you have a desire for children? Find your pregnancy vitamins.
